Expression of gastric ghrelin and H(+)-K(+)-ATPase mRNA in weanling piglets and effect of ghrelin on H(+)-K(+)-ATPase expression and activity in gastric mucosal cells in vitro.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of ghrelin on gastric acid secretion in weaning piglets both in vivo and in vitro. Thirty newborn piglets were selected from six litters and on 28, 35 (weaning), 38, 42 and 45d of age, respectively, one piglet from each litter was killed and the mucosal tissue from gastric fundus was collected for detecting ghrelin mRNA as well as H(+)-K(+)-ATPase mRNA expression and activity. Primary cultures of gastric mucosal cells from 5-week-old weaning piglets were challenged with 3x10(-5), 3x10(-4), 3x10(-3), 3x10(-2) and 3x10(-1)nmol/ml h-ghrelin, respectively, for 4h in order to further clarify the effect of ghrelin on gastric H(+)-K(+)-ATPase mRNA expression and activity.

Cysteamine increases expression and activity of H+-K+-ATPase of gastric mucosal cells in weaning piglets.

Aim: To determine the in vivo and in vivo effects of cysteamine (CS) on expression and activity of H(+)-K(+)-ATPase of gastric mucosal cells in weaning piglets.

Methods: Eighteen litters of newborn Xinhuai piglets were employed in the in vivo experiment and allocated to control and treatment groups. From 12 d of age (D12), piglets in control group were fed basal diet, while the treatment group received basal diet supplemented with 120 mg/kg CS.

[The developmental changes of GHR and IGF-1R gene expressions in porcine hypothalamus and pituitary].

GH and IGF-1 may serve as negative feedback factors to regulate GH secretion from pituitary by binding to their respective receptors in hypothalamus and/or pituitary. In order to evaluate the line-specific developmental patterns of negative feedback regulation of GH secretion, Erhualian (EHL) and Large White (LW) pigs with significant difference in growth rate were employed in present study to investigate the developmental changes of GH receptor (GHR) mRNA and type-1 IGF receptor (IGF-1R) mRNA in hypothalamus and pituitary from birth till 180 days of age by relative quantitative RT-PCR. Pigs were sampled at birth, 3 , 20, 30, 90, 120 and 180 days of age respectively.

[The developmental patterns of GH-R, IGF-1 and IGF-IR gene expression in adipose tissue of Erhualian and large white pigs].

Growth hormone (GH) is essential for postnatal growth in animal, it regulates numerous cellular functions by direct effect on its receptor (GH-R) in many different tissues. In present experiment single tube semi-quantitative RT-PCR was applied to investigate the developmental patterns of GH-R, IGF-1 and IGF-I R mRNA expression in dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue of Erhualian and Large White pigs, and 18S internal standards were used as control. Eight Erhualian pigs were sampled at birth, 3, 20, 30, 45, 90, 120, 180 days of age respectively, four Large White boars were sampled at 20, 30, 90, 120, 180 days of age respectively.

Developmental patterns of GHr and SS mRNA expression in porcine gastric tissue.

Aim: The present study was aimed to investigate the developmental patterns of growth hormone receptor (GHr) and somatostatin (SS) mRNA expression in porcine gastric tissue and its relationship with gastric growth and gastric functional development.

Methods: Erhualian and Large White boars were selected randomly and sampled at birth (D0), 3, 20, 30, 90, 120 and 180 days of age respectively, meanwhile the bodyweight and gastric weight were recorded. The single tube semi-quantitative RT-PCR was applied in this experiment to investigate the developmental patterns of gastric GHr and SS mRNA expression, the correlations between the patterns of mRNA expression and the relative gastric weight (ratio of gastric weight to bodyweight) and the pepsin contents in gastric mucous membrane were analyzed.